


Soft-hearted

by Katherine



Category: The Praise Singer - Mary Renault
Genre: Dogs, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-13
Updated: 2016-05-13
Packaged: 2018-06-08 03:03:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6836446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katherine/pseuds/Katherine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So it was no strange thing that Anakreon was soft-hearted, after.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Soft-hearted

I had rescued Anakreon from a city turning to stasis. He had been reeling from news of the deeply undignified death of the ruler who had been his patron. Also, since I took him away Anakreon he had been lodging in the house of one celebrating, if not at the news, at the golden good fortune brought to him by being the first to bear it to the Archons. So it was no strange thing that Anakreon was soft-hearted, after.

Blossom must have left his side somewhere in the time when Anakreon was grieving, or sleeping from the poppy-laden posset I'd got into him. Dogs are faithful to us, so the poets sing, as I should know being a poet myself; yet they are faithful as well to the needs of their own animal lives.

When she bore the pups, they were large-headed, big for her, with coarse fur. Anakreon laughed at this evident mis-match made between his soft-furred white companion and one of the huge Kean sheepdogs. Yet he let Blossom nurse all three of them.

In suitable time, once they had grown to not be wailing through all the hours, and to strength enough for the short journey, I chose the liveliest of the litter. I took it to my Eboian farm, to give to Dorothea. It would be company for her, since I was gone more often in this time Athens was gaining in everything. That, and there was a tale in how it had been got, by a determined Kean hill-dog on a poet's small companion. Dorothea liked that I told her tales, whether or not they were the ones that I made into song.


End file.
